An Ultra-Processed Food Dietary Pattern Is Associated with Lower Diet Quality in Portuguese Adults and the Elderly: The UPPER Project

Abstract

This study aimed to identify dietary patterns (DPs) and their associations with sociodemographic factors and diet quality in Portuguese adults and the elderly. Cross-sectional data were obtained from the National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (2015–2016), with two non-consecutive dietary 24 h recalls. Food items were classified according to the NOVA system and its proportion (in grams) in the total daily diet was considered to identify DPs by latent class analysis, using age and sex as concomitant variables. Multinomial logistic and linear regressions were performed to test associations of DPs with sociodemographic characteristics and diet quality, respectively. Three DPs were identified: “Traditional” (higher vegetables, fish, olive oil, breads, beer and wine intake), “Unhealthy” (higher pasta, sugar-sweetened beverages, confectionery and sausages intake) and “Diet concerns” (lower intake of cereals, red meat, sugar-sweetened and alcoholic beverages). “Unhealthy” was associated with being younger and lower intake of dietary fiber and vitamins and the highest free sugars and ultra-processed foods (UPF). “Diet concerns” was associated with being female and a more favorable nutrient profile, but both DPs presented a higher contribution of UPF than the “Traditional” DP. These findings should be considered for the design of food-based interventions and public policies for these age groups in Portugal.

Association between ultra-processed foods consumption and micronutrient intake and diet quality in Iranian adults: a multicentric study

“…In support of this, according to our earlier study conducted in 2013-2014, UPF were accounted for around 20 % of daily energy intake (Accepted article). In terms of other determinants of UPF intake, we found a positive association between educational level and UPF consumption and an inverse link between age and UPF consumption which were compatible with the results of other developed, high-income countries (14,15,28) .…”

“…In the I.Family study, both children and adults with higher UPF intake consumed higher amounts of sugar and fat but lower amounts of fiber and protein (14). In Portuguese adults and the elderly, higher amounts of UPF consumption were associated with higher carbohydrates, saturated fats and sugar, while the intake of protein, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, potassium, magnesium and iron was lower in comparison with a healthy traditional dietary pattern (15). Furthermore, in our subgroup analysis, NARs of calcium and magnesium were closely related to various lifestyle and socioeconomic variables.…”

“…The contribution of UPF to daily energy intake varies from 10 % in Portugal (11) to around 60 % in the USA (12) and in the UK (13) . It is of note that poor nutrient profile of UPF (13)(14)(15)(16) is a main concern of UPF consumption beside the adverse effects of altered food structure, additives and neo-formed contaminants caused by processing (5) . Conversely, decreasing UPF consumption (17) and replacing them with MPF (16) improved diet quality in Americans and Canadians, respectively.…”

Once a week consumption of Western diet over twelve weeks promotes sustained insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fat liver disease in C57BL/6J mice

“…These diets are rich in saturated fat and simple sugar, especially sucrose, and thus are comparable to the so-called "junk food" [40]. However, evaluation of the effects of Western diet on animal health is achieved by the constant consumption of these diets [11][12][13][14], which is not what normally happens [15]. In the current work, we have mimicked "cheat meal" consumption by giving to mice a HFHS diet once a week, somehow comparing it to people that sporadically eat "junk food".…”

“…For these studies, animals were subjected to a continuous longterm diet enriched in saturated fat and simple sugars. One feebleness of these studies, as compared to human Western diet ingesting regimen, is that, normally, the regular consumption is not continuous, but intercalated with different kinds of nourishments [15]. Nevertheless, different studies have reported that acute consumption of different high-fat and/or high-sucrose diets triggers similar responses to those observed in long-term ingestion [16][17][18][19][20][21].…”